The Diner
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Pre SQ/SQ one-shot. Five lunches between Emma and Regina. Fluff/angst. Spoilers for 2x10, 2x16, 2x21 and 2x22.


_This is a pre SQ/SQ one-shot. Pre-curse and post-curse. Completely disregards the whole kidnapping/Neverland thing. Spoilers for 2x10, 2x16, 2x21 and 2x22. Some angst, some fluff. I don't own Once or any of its characters. I apologise for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy it :)_

_Summary: Five lunches between Regina and Emma_

_Crap I'm late_ the blonde thinks as she runs towards the diner, _curse doughnuts! _Were it not for the jam oozing out of the delicious pastry she would not have had to run home and change and could have been at the diner twenty minutes ago rather than facing what is now likely to be an irritated Mayor Mills. Her stomach does a small flip at the thought of the thoroughly frustrating brunette who somehow manages to both anger and intrigue her. Emma shakes her head, she can't quite put a name to what she feels towards Henry's other mother but whatever it is the woman often ends up the subject of the blonde's thoughts.

She rushes into the diner quickly spotting the brunette who is sporting an impatient expression as she drums her fingers on the table. Emma smiles reminding herself to steer her gaze away from the woman's legs, _does she seriously have to wear skirts that short all the time?_ she thinks as Regina greets her with a smirk as she follows the Sheriff's lingering stare. "Glad you could join me Miss Swan" she says with a pointed look at the clock.

Emma smiles sheepishly, "Sorry, a mishap with a doughnut, figured you'd rather I was late than messy" she blushes as she sits down feeling foolish.

The brunette tries to hide her smile at the blonde's adorable goofiness, _wait adorable? Stop it Regina!_ Ultimately she fails to contain the slight upturn of her lips, "Relax Miss Swan, shall we order or would you rather wear the food than eat it?"

In spite of the mask of contempt with which the statement was uttered Emma sees the levity concealed within her words, somehow she is the only one able to see the Regina who'll joke to put her at ease. She smiles warmly at the other woman hoping it might get her to bring down her mayoral mask for a moment, "I think I'll eat this meal instead"

"Good choice, will you be having your usual unhealthy fries or adding a bit of variety for once?"

"Hey I don't always have fries"

"Fries, hamburger and a hot cocoa" the brunette murmurs to herself reciting the blonde's usual order. Emma catches her words smiling at the fact that the mayor has memorised her ordinary meal.

"Secretly I bet you love fries"

"I absolutely do not!" Regina replies indignantly.

"Then why do you always steal mine?" Emma questions enjoying their current back and forth.

The mayor blushes slightly before recovering, "What an absurd allegation"

Emma shakes her head with a wry smile knowing the other woman will never admit to it before waving Ruby over. "Hey Emma, Mayor Mills, what can I get you guys?"

"The lasagne and a water please Miss Lucas"

"Okay, what about you Em?" Regina stiffens at the nickname coming from the waitress and shoots her a glare. Who is she to call her Emma, _wait her Emma, no just Emma_, by a nickname? Yes she and Emma are friends but honestly the mayor enjoys the way the sheriff's name rolls from her lips and doesn't appreciate the shortened version spilling bluntly from Ruby's mouth.

"Well I think I'll shake things up a bit, let's have my usual" Emma answers shooting Regina a grin before frowning at the other woman's rigid posture and stern expression.

Ruby leaves and Emma turns to her, "You know you don't have to do that right?"

"Do what?" the brunette asks obliviously.

"Put on your Mayor face all the time"

"Whatever do you mean dear?"

"Whenever anyone else comes over you put up all these walls and go all stern angry Mayor"

Regina blinks at the words, "Is that how you really see me?" she asks and Emma sees the hurt shining in chocolate eyes.

"I don't because you don't put it up with me, you let yourself be Regina so why can't you be that way with everyone?" Emma asks wishing the brunette would let everyone see what she does, the playful innocence that sometimes shines through and the smiles that give her an air of light happiness.

For her part the brunette falls silent. She hadn't even realised that Emma had chipped away at her mask so easily, part of her wishes she could be that with everyone but life has taught her that to remain in control she must exude an air of power which will inspire fear and obedience. Lately though the sheriff across from her has made her lose control of that mask and she knows eventually that Emma will be the one to do undo everything.

When she looks back up at the sheriff her eyes are shining with unshed tears knowing that she cannot keep letting the blonde this close, that she will only cause Emma more pain and she doesn't deserve that. "I can't" she whispers before clearing her throat, "Let's just discuss Henry shall we?" she asks focussing on the reason why she invited the other woman to lunch in the first place. Admittedly she often uses Henry as a reason to have lunch with her but she realises now she may have to stop it, the only thing is she's not sure she can bring herself to lose the blonde.

Emma watches as conflict plays across Regina's face, whatever is on her mind it's big. She's torn between asking what's wrong and fearing the answer. Ruby sets their meals down and leaves noticing the tension that has replaced the earlier jovial atmosphere of before. "What did you want to talk about?" she asks as she picks up her burger.

"Right, Henry asked me the other day if I could invite you to dinner on Friday night"

"Like a family thing?" the blonde asks as hope floods her chest at the possibility of getting a taste of something she has never had before.

The brunette smiles back at her seeing the hope in blue eyes, "Yes I believe that was his intention" it was hers too but for now she remains content to hide behind her son's desire to spend time with both of his mothers.

"I'd like that" Emma replies with a grin as she slowly pushes her fries closer to the middle of the table waiting to see if Regina will bite. After the serious look on the Mayor's face she needs to know if everything's alright between them.

Regina nibbles at her lasagne noticing the movement of the fries, "Excellent, dinner will be at 7. Don't be late" she adds with a small smile.

"I'll steer clear of the doughnuts" she replies grinning as she notices the brunette subtly inching her fingers closer to the fries.

Regina can feel the gaze of the blonde but knows that her moving the fries in the first place was a test. Ignoring the voice in her head that reminds her that continuing whatever this is with Emma is a bad idea she quickly pinches a fry from the basket. Emma grins at her action and takes a fry knowing that at least for now everything is okay.

* * *

Two months have passed since the two woman have had lunch mainly because the blonde and her newly discovered mother had fallen through a portal. As Emma walks towards the diner desperate for the excuse to get away from her fairytale parents "reuniting" she wonders if had she not journeyed to the enchanted forest whether or not she and Regina would have had lunch anyway.

She knows much has changed since their last lunch. Regina had been distant that day, turns out she had had a conversation with Mr Gold who is apparently Rumplestiltskin. Emma can guess that their chat went badly given that in order to get the curse broken he poisoned their son. Everyone now treats her like a saviour and a princess but no-one not even her parents who just want to coddle her seem to realise how weird this all is for her. Her best friend is her mother. The jackass who had an affair with her is her father. Her son was right. It felt like the only person who hadn't changed was Regina. She smiles as she thinks of the brunette. She missed the mayor far more than she thought she would, they didn't exactly part on the best of terms. The discovery of the truth left Emma feeling betrayed and hurt, she had trusted Regina and it turned out she was the evil queen. Regina's apologies had fallen on deaf ears as well, no-one quite believing that the woman wanted to repent. Then the wraith came and Emma found her fury replaced by something else – fear. All she wanted was to save her and she did. That is what mattered to her. Two months apart have given her a chance to think. Snow had told her her side of the story and she's starting to understand how her parents did what they did and that they missed as much as she did. The one thing she still can't reconcile is the image of the evil queen that everyone else has with the Regina she knows. The Regina who as mayor was stern but cared about her people, the Regina who invited her over for family dinners and the desperate mother begging her to save their son. The problem she thinks is that everyone else just sees the queen whereas all she sees is Regina.

Her heart skips a beat as she enters the diner and sees a familiar head of brunette hair in the back booth. She frowns as the woman nervously looks around before staring down at the table to avoid the glares being directed her way. Charming and Henry had given her the basic rundown of events in the last couple of months but gave very little mention of Regina. She frowns knowing that the other woman must have been lonely, she missed Henry so much and she knows how much Henry's rejection will have hurt Regina. The problem she knows is that Henry is so caught up in his black and white view of heroes and villains that he's lost track of that fact that Regina is his Mom. She sighs wishing Henry could see that people can't be pushed into tight little boxes like good and evil but she knows he's only eleven and right now he needs to believe in that and honestly she can't bring herself to take that from him just yet.

With some nerves she walks over to the booth. Everyone may say Regina is evil but she did save her and Snow. That's got to mean something right? She took in Rumple's curse when she found out what he had done and in the past two months according to Henry and Charming's reports any magic she had used was for good.

That however is not the reason she called Regina this morning. It was at the diner last night that she noticed what every else failed to – Regina's absence. In all that time in the forest whenever she thought of the brunette her heart ached as if the muscle in her chest was trying to come out and find Regina's. Fairytale land may not have much going for it but it certainly gives you time to think and that time awoke Emma to something she should have realised long ago. Now she just hopes she's brave enough to follow through on that realisation. "Hi Regina" she says sitting down.

Regina looks up noticing the blonde's presence. For the first time since being left alone in Gold's shop she smiles. She had grinned when Emma emerged from that well purely because she found she couldn't contain her joy at seeing her again. The past two months have been awful. _Not having someone is the worst curse of all_ she had said to the blonde back when she pretended to hate her and god she'd been right. She had allowed herself to become used to having Henry and Emma in her life and then just like that they were both gone. She knows that had this happened back in her evil queen days that she would have spiralled and resorted to dark magic and let that loneliness consume her. She found that she couldn't do that this time. Henry left because he thinks that she is evil. Emma left to save her from vengeance. She finds now that she wants to be better, to be good not only for herself but for Henry and Emma, the people she loves. It was a hard thing to admit that she loves Emma but after sessions with Archie and the persistent ache in her chest she was alerted to the truth she had been avoiding for several months. Now seeing the blonde before her she can feel her heart skipping lightly in her chest, "Hi" she replies.

Emma sits across from her feeling the nerves stifle her, "How are you?"

"I'm fine Emma, are you?"

"Still getting used to stuff I guess but I'm getting there"

Regina smiles in sympathy, "I really am sorry you know?"

Emma nods, "I do. Do you regret it?"

"I wish I could but without what I did there would be no Henry so I can't" the brunette explains, "But I wish I could take away the pain it caused everyone"

Emma smiles, "That's a good answer"

"Really? Because it feels like nothing"

"I'm willing to bet the evil queen wouldn't show remorse. You did. That means something Regina. You're trying and I want to help"

Emma's words warm Regina's heart, at the kind smile the blonde shoots her she grins back. Just seeing her and hearing her support reminds her of why she wants to be good. "Thank you"

"You're welcome. I uh want to ask you something"

Regina perks her head up running through the possible questions in her mind, some could be about her past, some about her reasons for her actions, some she dreams are the blonde asking her out, either way she knows whatever Emma asks her she will answer. "Yes?"

"There's this party here tonight, ya know to celebrate us coming back" she pauses trying to calm down her nerves, "And I was wondering if you'd come"

Emma watches as the brunette's eyes light up and she smiles before that expression fades and Regina drops her head down, "I don't think it's a good idea" she replies. She'd love to say yes, she would love to spend time with Emma and Henry but the very fact that she has been here for forty minutes and has yet to be served or spoken to until Emma's arrival speaks volumes about why she shouldn't go. "No-one is going to want me there"

"You saved me and Snow"

"I cursed them"

"But you're trying"

"It won't matter, this meant to be a happy occasion for you and your family and I don't want to mar that" she explains.

Emma frowns, "But I want you there" at her words she suddenly panics as Regina studies her with such hope and fear that she quickly adds, "And Henry does too"

Regina nods with a contemplative expression. Emma wants her to come, admittedly she hid behind Henry but they both want her there. Maybe it will help. Maybe it won't. Either way she gets to see Emma again and possibly spend some time with her son. "Okay" she says finally.

Emma grins in response, "Great, Henry will be so pleased" _and I will_ she thinks but doesn't say for fear of scaring off Regina. Maybe later she'll be brave enough to admit the truth to the former Mayor.

Regina nods wishing she could just let the feelings swirling in her heart out into the open but right now under the scrutiny of the people in the diner she can't. Too long she has known what being in the public eye means, she understand the pressure and right now Emma is everyone's saviour even if she doesn't want to be. Emma and Henry don't deserve to be tarnished by her reputation so right now she'll keep her feelings in her heart and wait.

* * *

_Come on please pick up_ Emma thinks. After Emma flat-out accused her of Archie's murder things could really not have gone worst. Emma runs through her hair knowing that she was the only one who believed in Regina and who Regina trusted and she let that go straight to hell. First by asking her to a dinner where everyone else shunned her including Emma herself, secondly by sending into her hiding, thirdly by not finding her in time and finally by taking their son to Manhattan without even telling her about it. Add on to that the fact that Regina's crazy-ass mother came to town and pushed her right back onto the bad path, _if I only I had believed in her and not magic_, then there was the whole fiasco in Gold's shop. Everyone is coddling Snow but honestly Emma finds her main concern is Regina. It was her mother who died after all and no-one else seems to care.

Not to mention she really owes the woman an apology not that she thinks it will be accepted but she has to try. She also needs to tell her about Neal. Emma sighs knowing that even if by some miracle Regina agrees to see her that this lunch is going to suck. Even so she finds that after everything she still needs Regina and she has to try and set things right.

On her third ring a voice crackles across the line, "Hello?" Emma sounds at the hoarseness of the other woman's voice. "Regina, it's Emma"

She hears a sigh before, "What do you want?"

"Have lunch with me"

A bitter laugh comes in reply, it sounds borderline hysterical to the blonde, "Lunch? Your mother just tricked me into killing my own and you want to have lunch?!" she can hear the sob that breaks on that last word and knows that no matter how far she fell from her path of repentance that right now Regina needs someone. She hears the tell-tale click of the phone line and frowns before running out the door.

She runs letting her feet guide her until she skids to a halt in front of the white mansion on Mifflin Street. She runs up the driveway and rings the doorbell. No answer. She hears a loud smashing sound and panics before pushing at the door. Mercifully it opens and she walks in quickly trying to locate the source of the noise. A low mournful sob fills the air and she follows it until she reaches the study. Her heart clenches painfully at the sight before her – Regina crouched down on the floor, tears streaming down her red cheeks as she cradles what Emma can see is a broken photograph. She walks over slowly before crouching down next to Regina. "Regina?" she asks quietly. The brunette turns to her with a questioning gaze as if wondering how she was alone one minute and not the next.

"Miss Swan" she croaks out in surprise. She assumed that she would have been left alone especially after the actions of her and her mother recently. After Emma chose to believe magic over her she officially lost everything. She frowns again realising that her mother succeeded. She broke her. Even in dying she just proved that everyone she loves abandons her or betrays her in some way. Emma didn't believe her. Henry didn't believe her. When they found out the truth they didn't come for her, they left. Then her mother manipulated her before dying, _because you killed her_. A sob bubbles out of her throat at the last thought, she can't bear to think of that. She put her faith in Snow White once more and once again she suffered for it.

She feels a hand on her back reminding her that she is not alone, not at this moment. She wonders how it is possible that after everything that happened in the past few months that she still needs Emma like she needs air. Her heart pounds in her chest as if to try and tell her why. Regina shifts into the blonde's offered embracing needing the comfort of her arms. When the blonde called offering lunch she couldn't quite believe it, it was a hollow reminder of what they used to have and god how she had missed those lunches so she laughed until the pain became too much and twisted it into a sob. She hung up assuming the blonde would ignore her like everyone else but Emma once again proved her wrong. She came. She left but she returned. In Emma's arms she feels safe enough to let out her tears. She sobs over her mother, over Henry, over how she let herself slip and over Emma.

"Ssh" Emma whispers, "It's all going to be okay. I'm so sorry Regina" Emma allows a few salty tears to slide down her cheeks as she murmurs apology after apology to the brunette trembling with the force of hers sobs in her arms.

"I'm so sorry" she repeats and the brunette looks up at her. Emma gasps, Regina's face is tear stained and her mascara is smudged, strands of chocolate hair have stuck to her reddened cheeks and her lower lip is still quivering and yet Emma still finds herself entranced by the beauty she finds in the other woman. "I'm sorry too" Regina whispers staring up into the sea-green eyes that have become her salvation.

"I have to tell you something and I know this is a sucky time but I don't want to keep it from you"

Regina stiffens knowing this means the blonde had been keeping her in the dark about something, she relaxes as the realisation that they didn't have much chance to tell each other anything in the past few months. It pains her that after over a year of sharing pretty much everything that they had allowed such distance to come between them. "What?" she asks. She can see the trepidation washing across Emma's features. "You can tell me whatever it is" she adds pleased to see a watery shaky smile on her face.

"You're not going to like it."

"After the past few months how bad can it possibly be?" the brunette asks bitterly.

Emma frowns absentmindedly running her fingers through Regina's hair, "Okay here goes, well Gold asked me to go with New York with him to help find his son"

Regina's brows crinkle before she remembers a strange man in the shop, she remembers feeling a pang of jealousy at seeing how close he appeared to be to Emma. "And you did" she says hoping to move this story along.

"We did. It turns out he was Neal"

"Neal?!" the brunette shouts pulling away slightly, "As in the guy who abandoned you and our son Neal?!"

Emma smiles briefly at the our son remark and the brunette's anger on her behalf before placing her hands on the other woman's arms to try and calm her, "Yes"

"So Rumplestiltskin is Henry's grandfather?" Regina asks now looking disgusted. Of all people for her son to be related to it had to be him. With a shudder she realises Henry's grandparents are Snow White and Rumplestiltskin. It's all so painfully ironic that she can't help but laugh again but once again it turns into a cry.

"Yeah pretty messed up family tree isn't it?" Emma says having guessed the thoughts in Regina's head perfectly.

"Understatement Emma" to the blonde's relief the statement still holds the friendly sarcasm that frequented their lunches. Her heart jumps upon catching a glimpse of her Regina.

"So what is Neal doing here?" Regina asks with a frown.

"He just wants to get to know the kid. Knowing Neal's track record he won't stick around long"

"That's what I thought about you and you stayed"

Emma blinks in surprise at Regina's response, she was expecting agreement and anger not that. "You think Neal will stay?"

"You did"

"I had more reasons than just Henry"

"Neal's father is here as well. Plus Henry can be quite persuasive in getting people to stay"

"You're telling me"

Regina nods knowingly, "Just make sure he doesn't hurt Henry"

Emma nods before taking the other woman's hand, "We won't and besides Neal is the only parent Henry's currently talking"

Regina frowns in sympathy before allowing Emma to pull her up to stand, "What do you mean?"

"Henry's annoyed because I lied about who is her father was"

"So now he thinks you're just like me?" Regina guesses.

"Yeah pretty much. I knew when I did I shouldn't have lied to him but you know I wanted him to have a hero not a dirtbag who let me go to prison"

"You lied to protect him, I lied to protect myself, there is a difference and one day he'll forgive you" Regina says trying to reassure the blonde.

"I hope so" Emma replies wiping away a stray tear that slides from her eye. Regina notices and pulls the other woman in for a hug. Emma smiles knowing that this is her way of reaching out and trying to comfort her back. She wraps her arms around the brunette.

Neither knows how long the pair of them stay locked in each other's embrace, all they know is that it feels so comfortable and safe that neither wants to let go.

Eventually their ever-lengthening moment is interrupted by a loud noise of protest from Regina's stomach. At that Emma pulls away slightly and for the first time notices how the brunette looks thinner than the last time she saw her, "When did you last eat?" she asks quietly.

Regina frowns, the days since her mother's death have passed in a blur of tears and sleeplessness and so she honestly cannot tell how long it has been. She shrugs half-heartedly in response. She hasn't exactly been taking care of herself lately, her mother was dead and without Henry or Emma there didn't seem to be much point in doing so. Emma frowns at her silent answer, "I'm guessing it's been a while, you've got to take care of yourself Regina"

"Why?" Regina asks in a whisper.

Were she not so close Emma would have missed the quiet shaky voice that asked the question. The blonde pulls Regina close again resting her forehead on the brunette's, "Because Henry needs you and I need you so come on we're going to the Diner because I'm guessing you haven't got much food here"

Regina nods feeling her heart beat as it seems to echo the three words I need you over and over. The phrase settles and soothes her aching heart and she feels that warmth spread as she hesitantly takes the blonde's hand and allows herself to be dragged to lunch.

* * *

It's been a long few days for Regina Mills, she was kidnapped by a vengeful man and rescued by Snow and Charming, add on to that the fact that two days later she had to disarm her own trigger with the aid of Miss Swan and well quite frankly the woman is tired, hungry and most of all confused.

It's an odd feeling to face death twice in the space of a couple of days. Both times she was so sure that her end had come and both times she was saved. Both times by Emma Swan. Her heart sends out a pang of sympathy for the blonde during her half-conscious state she had heard about Neal. At first her main thought was of Henry and how he would take the news of losing his father so soon but then she remembered that he was Emma's first loves and that is a pain she knows all too well. That night after consoling a distraught Henry Emma had taken up refuge by lying down next to Regina's barely conscious form. The brunette cannot remember too much about that night but she remembers the quiet sobs of the blonde and how Emma had stared at her for several hours.

When the trigger was activated Regina knew what she had to do. She had let them both down so many times and in her heart she knew she couldn't do it again, that she had to save them. Her goodbye to Henry was both an apology and a farewell, all that mattered in that moment was making sure her son was not alone. Over the top of her son's head she had caught the blonde's gaze. The look of care in those eyes cemented her decision. She couldn't let the ones she loves die even if it meant she couldn't be with them.

But once again she was surprised. In what she was certain would be her final moments they came for her. Her son called her a hero and hugged her. Then when all hope was lost Emma stepped in and used her magic. It was so powerful. So warm. So sweet. She frowns momentarily, her eyes still shut, her heart is telling her what their success means but her brain just isn't getting there. In the dark depths of that mine she could feel the light bursting through her heart and repairing the damage done to it. She could feel the strength and joy of Emma's magic coursing through her veins and healing her battered soul. _Love_, the whisper comes from both her heart and head. _True love is the most powerful magic of all_. It can end battles, save towns and fix evil queens.

With that thought and her heart beating a steady dance in her chest she gingerly opens her eyes wincing slightly at the brightness of the light in the room. Not her own room. Disabling the trigger exhausted them both and the last thing she remembers before she blacked out from the exertion was whispering "We did it" and seeing Emma grin at her. She stands on slightly wobbly legs finding herself desperate to see the blonde's face once more.

She walks through to the kitchen to find Snow and Charming in the kitchen. "Ah good you're up" he says.

"How long was I asleep?" she asks with a tired stretch.

Snow smiles at her before handing her a glass of water, "Well Charming brought you and Emma up here yesterday afternoon and you've been out ever since so about fourteen hours"

Regina nods as the words register in her exhausted mind, "Is Emma here?" she asks hopefully.

Charming shakes his head, "She went down to the diner, she said" he cuts his words off noticing that Regina has already sped out of the door. He chuckles to himself remembering the conversation Snow and he had with their daughter last night.

_The blonde sits across from her parents with a confused frown on her face. Snow notices and leans forward, "What's wrong honey?" _

"_How were we able to do that?" she asks. _

_Snow and Charming share a stunned look before smiling as they wonder how their daughter can't see what everyone else does. "Emma that was true love" Charming says. _

_He watches the jubilant smile plaster itself on his daughter's face before it falls, "Because I'm your kid right?" _

_Snow shakes her head, "That was nothing to do with us. What were you thinking when you went over to Regina?" _

_Emma blushes before slowly saying, "That I couldn't let Henry be alone and that … and that I couldn't lose her" _

"_You love her Emma" _

_Emma looks away before nodding, "Yes but I thought she had to love me too for true love to work" _

_Charming chuckles quietly, "Emma trust me she loves you" _

_Once again a small smile works its way onto Emma's features and this time it stays there. It's a smile he knows well, one that comes from admitting your love and being loved. "You think so?" she asks. _

_He thinks of how hard Regina worked to bring Emma back, of her hurt face when Emma accused her of Archie's murder and of the look on Regina's face as she resigned herself to sacrificing her life to save everyone else. He nods, "I know so" _

"_And you're okay with this?"_

_Snow nods, "I'll admit when we first figured it out we were upset but I'm getting there. I can see that you love her and she loves you and I won't stand in the way of that" _

_Emma nods, "Dad?" _

"_I'm with your mother on this one. True love is a powerful force and trying to stop it would only result in losing you"_

"_Thank you guys, you know I love you right?" _

_They both nod before pulling her into a three-way hug._

As soon as she heard the words "at the diner" Regina had left ignoring the slight trembling of her legs and the fact that Charming had started saying something else. Right now that doesn't matter to her, all that does is seeing Emma again.

She carries herself across the threshold of the diner feeling the tiredness begin to catch up with her. Regina scans the room quickly before spotting a familiar head of blonde curls in the back booth. She walks over slowly before sliding in across from Emma who blinks in surprise at seeing her there.

"You're awake" she says relieved to see the brunette across from her. She remembers the hollow pang in her chest at the thought of Regina dying, of not seeing her smile again, of not sharing another lunch and of not telling her the words she longs to say to her.

"Yes, Charming said you'd be here"

"Did he give you my message?"

The brunette blushes, "I might have left before he could"

"Oh really?" the blonde asks cockily.

"I wanted to see you" Regina admits picking up one of the fries from the basket on the table.

"Hungry?" Emma asks, Regina nods emphatically in response so she gestures for Ruby to bring over some more fries and pushes the ones on the table over to the brunette.

"Are you sure you don't want these?"

"You look like you need them more than I do. I'm surprised you managed to get here given how exhausted you were"

"I am a tad tired" she admits quietly, "But I needed to see you"

"Well had you waited before leaving Charming would have told you that I am glad you're awake but you need to rest and that I would see you later."

"Nice message Miss Swan"

"Hey I think saving a town together is a first name kind of deal"

"Fine, Emma nice message. Are you alright? After all we did use a lot of magic yesterday"

Emma smiles at her, "I'm more than alright, it was tiring but at the same time it was exhilarating. Plus it saved you"

A grin blossoms on Regina's face before she gets up slowly. "Regina?" Emma asks confusedly watching as the other woman edges around the table and gestures for the blonde to shift down the seat. She does allowing the brunette slide in next to her. Her confusion disappears as Regina leans in and gently, almost cautiously presses her lips against the blonde's. Emma gasps in surprise before succumbing to the warm joyful feeling that is spreading through her entire body right now. She moves her hands to the back of Regina's neck and brings the woman even closer to her as she enjoys the sublime taste that is Regina. It tastes like happiness. It feels like love. Her tongue brushes over the soft lips of the brunette hearing her light intake of breath as Emma deepens the kiss desperate to pour everything she feels for Regina into this kiss.

When the need to breathe becomes too much they reluctantly pull apart resting their foreheads against one another. The shocked gasps and murmurs of the patrons in the diner don't reach them. Nothing does. All they can see is the other. Regina smiles happy tears brimming in her eyes as she gazes upon Emma and the look of love and joy on her face. She takes a deep breath before whispering "I love you"

Emma's grin grows even wider, her heart buoyed and her mind spinning in giddy twirls at Regina's words. She lets a tear slide out of her eye and the brunette wipes it away with her thumb. Emma leans into the motion before cupping Regina's face in her hands, "I love you" she replies and that is all it takes for Regina to fling her arms around the blonde's neck as she cries into her neck. In that one moment it feels as if everything overwhelms her heart soars in her chest, _she loves you_ it hums as she allows herself to land safely in the embrace of Emma who places kisses to the top of the brunette's head as she whispers over and over "I love you"

* * *

Laughter sounds from outside of the door and Granny smiles knowing who's about to come barrelling through the other side. Over the past two years her diner has seen a lot, it has witnessed cursed existence and a friendship struck up between two women who should have been enemies. It has seen people struggle to come to terms with who they are, cursed or not. It's been host to several parties filled with happiness and tension. It was the place where a tentative frightened kiss took place between two women who seemed just as surprised as everyone else. Granny shakes her head wondering how it took them so long to realise the truth so clear on their faces and in their hearts. For her part she's glad that her diner was host to the start of something so beautiful.

The joyful noise continues as two people walk in through the door and head towards "their" booth. Initially there was some backlash from citizens regarding their relationship, accusations that Regina had corrupted Emma or that the saviour was under some sort of spell but now a year after that first kiss in the diner the insults and abuse has faded away. People have seen the changes that love has wrought in the two women. For Emma it has brought a sort of peace and happiness that she had been searching for for so long. In Regina it made her see who she wanted to be and who she could be, it made her let go of the evil queen and the mayor and be Regina.

Granny walks over to the Sheriff and former mayor turned animal shelter volunteer to find them cuddled up on one side of the booth, Emma's arm slung casually around the other woman's shoulders.

"Morning ladies, what can I get you?"

"I'll have the usual please Granny" Emma replies with a smile as Regina shakes her head. Emma sighs, "With a _small _side salad"

Granny chuckles at the woman's emphasis on the size of the concessionary side before turning to Regina. "I'll have the BLT and an ice water please Miss Lucas"

"You can call me Granny dear" she has told the younger woman this several times but she knows it is still hard at times for her to drop the formalities.

Emma turns to Regina with a serious expression, "Are you going to order fries or are you going to steal mine?" she adds the last bit playfully knowing that even if the woman beside her protests that she'll snake a few fries.

Regina grins at her, "I don't steal your fries Emma"

"Whatever you say Regina" she replies with a small shake of the head.

Regina rolls her eyes at the blonde before turning to Granny, "I think that will be all, thank you … Granny"

The older woman smiles kindly at her, "You're welcome, it will be a few minutes but I'll bring your drinks right over"

She leaves the pair of them to their own private world. "You know it's been a year" Emma says as they sit in the booth where it all began.

"You mean since you mauled me in this booth dear?"

"Hey you kissed me first!" Emma defends feeling the chuckle of her girlfriend against her shoulder.

"You kissed me back" Regina adds with a smile before leaning up and placing a chaste kiss on Emma's lips still feeling the tingly warmth of love flowing through her body as she did the first time.

"Well can you blame me?" Emma asks earning herself another laugh from the brunette. She wraps an arm around the woman's waist pulling her closer until Regina is basically sitting on her lap. They often end up this way in the diner.

"I suppose you had good reasons" Regina replies resting her head on Emma's shoulder.

The blonde lifts her hand to start running her fingers through brunette curls that have been allowed to grow longer over the past year or so. She hears her lover sigh contentedly before placing light kisses on the blonde's neck and jaw. Emma grins feeling that familiar buzz of love and light as Regina continues to pepper kisses over her cheek until she reaches her lips once more. The blonde hums before tightening her hold as the brunette snuggles in closer to her, "You okay?" Emma asks, "You're very cuddly beary today"

"For the last time Emma I'm not a bear"

"You're cute and you're cuddly, so are bears"

"That is insane logic"

"It's Emma logic, so what's up?"

"Nothing, just a long morning. We had ten dogs come in today"

"Really?"

"Apparently Pongo saw fit to spread his cough to all the other dogs in town"

"Well that was nice of him"

"Indeed it was. What about you dear? Did you finish that paperwork your mother's been hassling you for yet?"

"Almost"

"Emma" Regina says in her scolding tone.

"I swear I'm nearly done"

"How much is nearly done?"

"I have like ten more reports to do. I would have finished this morning but then I got distracted" she adds the last part with a mischievous smirk as a blush covers Regina's cheeks.

"Perhaps you should learn how to focus your attention better" Regina murmurs before moving to slide her hands up Emma's tank top.

"Break it up ladies" Granny says interrupting their moment knowing where their conversation is going. "Enjoy your drinks here, save the dessert for later dears"

Both blush furiously before muttering sheepish apologies and turning their attention to their drinks.

"Well it could have been worse" Emma remarks with a shrug. Regina rolls her eyes at the response as Granny yells, "Don't remind me!" from across the diner. At that the two in the booth break out into laughter at memories of times where they may have become caught up in the moment in public.

Granny shakes her head as the pair continue to laugh. Regina remains seated in Emma's lap though this time her hand is laced with the blonde's whilst the other holds onto her drink. She smiles at the pair as she places their meals down noticing Emma's grim look at the tiny piece of salad next to her burger.

She leaves them to their meal watching as Regina taunts the blonde with lettuce leaves as Emma squirms away before begrudgingly eating them. Her diner has seen much over the past thirty years but today as Regina steals Emma's fries for the 286th time and the blonde and brunette laugh and smile their way through lunch it plays home to something its owner is proud of – love. Love given and accepted freely and with such happiness that it seems to spread through the establishment giving it an infectious cheer. The pair leave hand in hand as they always do occasionally bumping shoulders with each other. They shoot a smile and a wave at Granny before the familiar three words can be heard exchanged between the pair as they leave, _I love you_.

_Thank you for reading :) _


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